2006 NREF/AANS Pinnacle Partners Young Clinician Investigator John A. Boockvar, MD Weill Cornell Medical College Mechanisms underlying EGFR medicated human adult progenitor cell invasion. Neural precursor cells are thought to be a likely 'cell of origin' for glioblastoma multiforme. GBM is distinguished by both elevated EGFR expression and heightened "invasiveness". We hypothesize that EGFR signaling plays an important role in human gliomagenesis by enhancing the invasiveness of adult human neural precursor cells (hNPCs). These studies will explore the invasive properties of adult (hNPCs) in which EGFR signaling pathways are modified. The objective is to identify the mechanism by which EGFR signaling enhances human progenitor cell invasiveness. Understanding the mechanism by which EGFR signaling regulates human progenitor cell motility will offer new strategies to treat malignant brain tumors.

The AANS Pinnacle Partners in Neurosurgery program, now in its third year, helps the AANS continue its tradition of offering innovative educational programming throughout the year. Corporate partners participating include Boston Scientific,
Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Cordis Neurovascular, Inc., Kyphon, Medtronic, Micrus Endovascular Corporation, Stryker.